Tape edge sewing machine



May 1, 1962 F. E. KALNING ETAL TAPE EDGE SEWING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1958 ,f 2122/ 14 mi? WM M y 1962 F. E. KALNING ET AL 3,031,985

TAPE EDGE SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g I a! 17%;2727/ fiwzzmflz z jam/2521M United States 3,031,985 TAPE EDGE SEWING MACHINE Frederick E. Kalning, Quincy, and Howard E. Redman,

Weymouth, Mass, assignors to United Mattress Machinery Co., Inc., Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Maine Filed Nov. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 774,238 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-3) same.

atent O It is a principal object of the invention to provide a tape edge sewing machine which is well adapted for sewing together the adjoining fabric edges comprised by the panel and border of a mattress casing and a binder tape, and simultaneously in the same operation to fold into the tape a core of filling material drawn from a separate supply.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tape edge sewing machine for sewing together the adjacent fabric edges of a mattress panel and border, a binder tape, and a core of filling material drawn from a separate supply in such a manner that both the core and the edges of the fabric are contained within the heading formed by the binder tape.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an improved beaded fabric edge of a mattress'or similar article in which the core is composed of a soft, elastic material, as for example, a loosely twisted cotton rope and in which the binder tape is drawn down over the edges of the fabric material and over the core with sufiicient tightness to place the filling material comprising said core under some compression in order to obtain a resilient upstanding beaded edge of said mattress.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of assembling and stitching together the elements of a beaded edge of a mattress casing or similar article which comprises the steps of presenting to a stitching mechanism the abutting fabric edges of a mattress casing, a core of a soft, resilient filling material as, for example, a loosely twisted cotton roving, which is drawn from a separate sup ply and is positioned to lie snugly against the supported fabric edges, and positioning a binder tape in a folded position over said core and over said fabric edges, tensioning the binder tape against the resilient material forming said core and edges, and stitching together the binder tape and the intervening fabric edges to form a resilient upstanding beading edge to said mattress or similar article.

With the above and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear the several features of the invention consist in devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat fragmentary view of a mattress edge sewing machine illustrating in a preferred form the several features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail plan view taken on a line 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrating one position of the pressure foot, vibrating foot, tape binder and core guide during the l operation of assembling and sewing together the panel and border edges of a mattress or similar article, :a core of soft resilient material, and a binder tape to form a beaded mattress edge;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on a line 4--4 Patented May 1, 1962 of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale, FIG. 3 illustrating a position of the elements of the stitch forming and work positioning devices in which the needle is withdrawn from the work, the vibrating foot is raised, the cooperating feed dog is lowered, and the work is clamped against the work table by the presser foot, and FIG. 4 is a view illustrating another position of said parts in which the presser foot has been raised, the vibrating foot and the feed dog have been moved relatively toward one another to firmly engage and tighten the tape around the core and against the interposed edges of the mattress cover and to feed the work, and the needle, having completed its stitch forming stroke, is again withdrawn from the work;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on a line 5-5 of FIG. 4, illustrating additionally the tape binder, the core guide, and the associated core severing knife;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on a line 66 of FIG. 2 illustrating particularly the core severing knife and the tape binder in section;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the binder illustrating particularly the inwardly curved lower tip portions thereof for guiding the core securely within the folded tape; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the tape is reversed and folded over as it passes through the binder shown in FIG. 7.

The invention is herein disclosed in a preferred form as embodied in a tape edge machine of the general type having a sewing head 20 comprising an over arm 16, an under arm 18, and a downwardly extending base 22 which is mounted by means of suitable supporting and guiding devices not here shown for movement about the edge of the rectangular mattress supporting table 24. The stitch forming and work positioning devices of the machine include a reciprocating needle 28 supported in the sewing head over arm 16 for up and down movement and for movement longitudinally in the line of feed, a cooperating looper 30 carried in the under arm 18 beneath the work. A presser foot 32 carried on a presser foot bar 34 is mounted for a reciprocating up and down movement in the sewing head over arm 16 toward and away from a throat plate 36 secured to the under arm 18. The illustrated machine is further provided with a four-motion feed dog 38 mounted in the under arm 18 to operate through a slot in the throat plate 36, and a vibrating foot 40 mounted from the over arm 16 to engage upper side of the work. The vibrating foot 40 moves vertically and in the line of feed with the feed dog 38 to impart a stepped feeding movement to the work. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the presser foot 32 is depressed to clamp the work against the throat plate during the retracting movement of the vibrating foot 48, needle 28 and feed dog 38 rearwardly in the line of feed. This position of the parts is shown specifically in FIG. 3. A subsequent position of the parts is shown in FIG. 4 in which the presser foot 32 is raised, and the vibrating foot 40 and feed dog 38 are moved relatively toward one another to engage against and to draw adj acent portions of the binder tape designated at 44 tightly around the core 46 and to support the tape edges firmly against the adjacent panel and border edges of the mattress for the stitch form ing operation. The needle 28 has moved downwardly through the work into cooperative relation to the looper 30 and has drawn in a new stitch, thus arriving at the position of these parts shown in FIG. 4.

In accordance with the invention the illustrated machine is provided with an improved work positioning assembly (see FIGS. 2. and 5) which includes a tape binder 48, a core guide 50, and an adjustably supported top guide 52, said parts being assembled on a pivoted bracket 54 carried on the under arm 18 of the sewing head 20. The core guide 50 and the tape binder 48 are positioned with rela tion to one another to cause the core yarn 46 to be drawn between the projecting lower ends of the binder 48, which; in reversing and folding the'tape causes the tape to be wrapped or folded firmly about the core. In order to as-- sist in this operation the lower or tip ends 56, 58 of the binder 48 as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 are bent in wa-rdly toward one another thus causing the core yarn to be forced upwardly into the fold of the tape. After the core yarn and the tape have been combined, as above described, they are forced yieldably against the edges of thepanel and border of the mattress by means of the guide 52. so that these parts will be fitted snugly together for the: stitching operation. In the preferred form of the apparatus shown, the guide 52 is mounted for adjustment with. relation to the binder 48 in order that an adequate amount of pressure may be applied against the core 46 and tape 44. The position of adjustment depends upon. several factors which include the size of the core used and also the degree of hardness and elasticity of the core. Where a. soft flexible material such as a twisted cotton roving is: employed, as in the preferred embodiment of the inven tion shown, the guide 52 will be positioned somewhat closer to the sewing point than would be the case with a hard core, for example, of twisted paper, causing the resilient core to be compressed against the edges of the panel and border of the mattress cover, and causing the vibrating: foot and feed dog to engage and to tighter the wrap of the beading tape about the core.

The use of :a soft core of resilient material has the advantage that the work guiding and positioning devices may be set to secure a tight wrap of the beading tape around the core without risk of pinching the core, or causing thetape to be drawn-in unevenly or twisted out of position by the action of the vibrating foot and feed dog.

As best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the core guide: 50 is supported for adjustment toward and away from the sewing point on a laterally extending plate 60 having formed therein two slots 62 which are adapted to receive clamping screws 64 threaded into the bracket 54. Thetape binder 48 is supported for adjustment toward and away from the line of feed in a direction at right angles: to the direction of adjustment of the core guide 50, to this end being formed with a laterally extending plate 66 which has formed therein a longitudinal slot 68 adapted to receive two clamping screws 70 threaded into the supporting bracket 54. The top guide 52 is provided with laterally extending lug 72 slotted to receive one of the two clamp ing screws 70 so that adjustment of the top guide 52 is permitted toward and away from the line of feed relative to the tape binder 48.

Further in accordance with the invention a core severing device is provided under the control of the operator for severing the core from the supply at the end of a stitching operation about the marginal edge of the mattress. As best shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, a manually operable knife blade 80 is provided mounted in a transverse slot passing through the core guide 50 for severing the core at that point where it passes through the core guide. The blade 80 is pivotally supported on a removable pivot pin 82 carried in a block 84 which, together with a cover member 86,- provides a support on the bracket 60 to which the tubular core guide 50 is secured, as for example, by soldering. A slot transverse to the axis of the tubular core guide 50 isthen cut through the guide 50 and through a portion of the block 84 to receive the knife blade 80. The pivot pin 82 is inserted through a bore in the block 84 which extends perpendicularly to the slot 88 and on which the blade 80 is freely supported to turn. A handle 94 attached to the outer end of the blade 80 provides a convenient means for operating the knife.

The invention having been described what is claimed is:

1. In a tape edge sewing machine for sewing together the adjacent cover edges, binder tape and core components of mattresses and similar articles having sewing and work positioning devices including a needle, a work support, and a foot movable toward and away from the work support, the combination of a tape binder mounted on the machine in advance of the sewing devices having projecting lower ends for reversing said binder to position said binder tape in embracing relation to said cover edges, a core positioning guide disposed rearwardly of said tape binder adapted dor guiding a core within the folded edge of the binder tape adjacent said edges, a movable top guide and means locating said top guide with relation to the sewing and positioning-devices-to engage the folded edge of the binder tape and included core against said embraced cover edges.

2. In a tape edge sewing machine for sewing together the adjacent panel and border edges, binder tape and core components of mattresses and similar articles having'sewing, and work positioning devices including a needle, a .looper, a work support, and a. foot movable toward and away from'the work support, the combination of a binder diaving a U-shaped outlet converging diagonally with the 'line of feed including projecting ends adapted-to embrace said panel and border edges to reverse and to position said binder tape over said panel and'border edges, a core positioning guide disposed adjacent said tape binder adapted for guiding a core within the folded edge of the binder tape ajacent said edges, atop guide movably mounted on said machine between the binder and needle for adjust ment transversely of the line of feed to position-the folded edge of said binder tape and included core against said enclosed panel and border edges, and means for positioning said top guide to press thefolded edge-of said binder tape and included core firmly against andto position porrtions of said border over the adjacent edges of the panel for passage of the needle through the edge portions of the binder tape and through said adjacent edges of the panel and border.

3. In a tape edge sewing machine for sewing together the panel and border edges, a binder tape and core components of mattresses and similar articles, the combination with sewing and work positioning devices including a looper, a stationary work support, a presser foot movable toward and away from the work support, and a vibrating foot at one side of the work and a feed dog at the opposite side of the work movable toward and away from the work and in the line of feed, a tape binder mounted on the machine and shaped to reverse the position of and to form a fold in said binder tape embracing the adjacent panel and border edges, a core positioning guide supported from the machine adjacent said tape binder for guiding a core of soft resilient material within the folded edge of the binder tape and against said edges, and a top guide movably mounted on the machine between the binder and needle for adjustment transversely of the line of feed to compress the folded edge of the binder tape and core enclosed therein against the panel and border edges, further tightening the folded binder tape around said core and said edges, whereby the relative gripping movement of the vibrating foot and feed dog is operative to engage portions of said binder tape closely adjacent said core and to stress said binder tape tightly around the core and against the embraced edge portions of the panel and border.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,419 Onderdonk Apr. 25, 1916 1,257,239 Hughes Feb. 19, 1918 1,857,371 Gail May 10, 1932 1,892,203 Burton et a1 Dec. 27, 1932 1,898,497 Roberti Feb, 21, 1933 1,947,058 Pittoni Feb. 13, 1934 2,682,844 MacPherson July 6, 1954 2,834,308 Blumenkrantz May 13, 1958 

